Justice Academy for the Athletically Excellent
by YoursTrulyJaneDoe
Summary: Artemis just wants a way out of her everyday life. This is her chance
1. Chapter 1

"I'm not good at this," is what I say before I let loose the arrow. It flies just short of the center. And I give a disgruntled sigh. I had been trying to miss, but instinct ingrained from years of training show through. Oliver Queen, the recruiter, can tell, if the way he's gaping at me like I'm the messiah is anything to go by. "NOT GOOD AT THIS MY ASS!" He's screaming at this point and I feel headache not derived from hunger or exhaustion beginning to pound in my head and I'm happy because of the normalcy of it. Remember a time when I would have given anything to have a headache for so mundane a reason.

"Artemis, believe me you've got real talent and you're wasting it in North Gotham High. You've got the talent and I'm more than willing to give you the opportunity. I'll give you full tuition to Justice Academy for the Athletically Excellent," Was what Oliver was saying. What I heard was. "I can get you out. I can take you away." And really that's all he needed to say. My answer was the one of the things I most sure in my entire life, "Yes, I'll do it."


	2. Chapter 2

This is where the hard part comes in. "The hard part" being the whole reason why I hadn't wanted to hit the center of that target. Why I hadn't wanted to audition in the first place. I knew I'd make it. Just like I knew I wouldn't be able to go even as I answered to that recruiter that I would. Luckily, I had time before the paperwork got through the woodwork of the academy. I heard the front door slam and I cringed. Maybe not so lucky because it meant I'd have to spend even more time with him.

It's like he could hear my thoughts by the way he immediately stomped over to my room. He opened the door roughly as if he thought I wouldn't be there. It was the way he'd been opening the door ever since Jade left. He was waiting for the day when he'd open it and I'd be gone: frankly, so was I but for different reasons. While I was waiting for my escape like a caged tiger, he was waiting for it like a warden to a prisoner. He stared me down and without saying anything left. If it was another part of the day he would have told me to go practice, but he knew I had work. It was good I had work: I couldn't think with him here.

Work was as tedious as ever, but the fast paced monotony of it gave me a break from the stress of thinking about what I was going to do. Every time I had any down time I would volunteer to do anything just to not sit there anything to think about how I was going to get my dad to let me go.

The walk home was everything I had been trying to avoid. My thoughts seemed too loud in my head, and the anxiety was almost causing me to revisit my lunch. I was to blocks from my house when I got the call. I almost didn't answer because it was my dad but I knew the consequences.

Later I would be happy I did because that phone call was the one universal occurrence that changed everything. If I believed in god I'd say it was an act of divine intervention and if I believed in luck I'd go play the lottery. But I don't believe in either. So, as I sit there on the bench a few blocks from my house, not even worrying about the fact it's about to get dark and this by far the safest place to be in Gotham, I smile. The stress from earlier leaving my body in a sigh and I thanked the universe. I thanked every deity known to man and some I made up on the spot, and I didn't care. I was just so relieved. I laughed at myself for worrying so much before getting up to walk to my soon-to-be empty apartment the smile still plastered firmly on face. I knew I'd have to wipe it off my face before I went up to the apartment so my dad wouldn't know. But for now I basked in my happiness.


	3. Chapter 3

** Wow I just noticed my chapters are suuuuper short. But it's because I'm writing this in financial management. So….**

My foot tapped nervously on the plush carpet of the carpet in the waiting room of the school. I had just arrived. The anxiety was part worry I could get caught by my dad part the fact that I was in a super posh school where I knew no one. For my entire I'd been in the same apartment, in the same neighborhood, going to school with the same kids, and now I'm here. So far from where I had been. It was as if I was released. A new person that I could create.

My train of thought was broken when he walked in. Walk being an exaggeration, he practically rolled. Behind him followed a lean blond man who looks to have pushed him into the office. I looked back down at the boy sprawled across the floor and found he was dressed in a bathing suit and had sunscreen across his freckled nose. "Wally, I told you had detention for that prank you pulled last week. Just because I'm your uncle does not mean I'm going to let you push me around," the blonde man huffed. And for someone trying to get his nephew's respect he was pouting pretty childishly. "Wally" got up and dusted of his shorts and ran a hand threw his shockingly red hair. "Come on Uncle Barry, I told you I'd do it next week," was the whined response.

They continued their bickering without the noticing me or the brooding man coming up behind them. "What seems to be the problem?" Immediately, Barry says, "Well I have to go see if Dick is still in detention because unlike some people he actually showed up," and with an indignant huff he left, leaving a visibly nervous Wally and an annoyed-looking man in a suit. The man gave a long suffering sigh, "Sit down Wally, I'll be with you in a second." He looked over at me and then went back to the headmaster office where Coach Oliver (call me Ollie) had just went in. I had just seen the head master. Wally slumped down into the seat next to me with a smile spreading across his face. He stuck out his hand. "Hey, I'm Wallace but everyone calls me Wally." I looked at his hand incredulously and his smile turned into a smirk. "You're supposed to shake it. Or slap it, I don't particularly care,"

My walls slammed up, "Thanks for stating the obvious, Baywatch." His eyes flashed with confusion before he looked down and laughed. But in that moment Ollie came out and said, "Go on in Artemis."


End file.
